Flag carrier Philippine Airlines will be launching this month more domestic routes to the Visayas and Mindanao as well as a new service to China.
PAL in a statement said these flights are seen to link key points within and across various local regions to improve their interconnectivity.
Starting March 29, PAL will launch daily flights from Cebu to Cagayan de Oro and from Cebu to Davao, as well as four weekly flights from Cebu to Butuan and from Iloilo to General Santos.
Airbus A320s will be used for these inter-domestic flights.
To establish connections within the Visayas, PAL will also start daily flights between Tacloban and Cebu, and Cebu and Iloilo, as well as introduce thrice-weekly flights between Cebu and Bacolod.
Two Mindanao cities will also be linked with thrice-weekly flights between Zamboanga and Davao.
PAL will likewise operate three flights a week from Manila to Tablas on March 20 using its Q-300 aircraft. Tablas is the largest of the islands that comprise Romblon province, the country’s marble capital known for its pristine beaches and marine sanctuaries. Currently, ferryboat services connect Tablas Island and Caticlan.
“The flag carrier aims to bridge key points within and across various regions to address the need for connectivity through air transport,” PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna said.
“These new routes not only link nearby cities but, most important, provide passengers fast, convenient and safe air travel,” Villaluna added.
Meanwhile, PAL will launch on March 29 its newest route to Jinjiang, China.
Jinjiang, a city located in Fujian province, is known for its foreign-owned factories in the clothing and footwear industry, and is seeing the rise of migrant workers in recent years.
PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista said, “A large number of Chinese-Filipinos trace their roots to the city of Jinjiang. In response to the clamor for links to and from the Chinese city, the flag carrier is launching the new route.”
Jinjiang brings to seven the airline’s total destinations in China, which also include Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, and Xiamen.
The new service (PR356) departs Manila Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays with return flights (PR357) departing Jinjiang on the same days.
